Volt61

I agree that this word can vary between people quite a bit.

For both of us, we do need to live away from noisy/traffic heavy streets, streets/areas where people have a tendency to be blaring music out of their homes or cars (its never something like Carmina Burana, or Gorecki's Symphony No. 3 is it?) yelling and having arguments at all hours in the middle of the road, etc., and people who just have zero consideration for those who may be needing to sleep at midnight 1.00am or later.

To be honest, one of the great things we have enjoyed about living in the USA, is having real (and burly) Police come promptly to attend to unruly, noisy and outrageous neighbors (and who I once saw scrarmble to get out of sight when they saw a Police car), instead of the pathetic, impotent & so worthless council "noise service" that we had in the UK and whose sole effort was a "party line", an answerphone service which fed info to 3 people (when they were on duty) to cover a population of over 350,000.
They also only ever dealt with very extreme and repeated noise disturbances from very wild parties.

We do know that Brighton is nothing like a sleepy backwater town and that because there are a couple of univerisities there, its not ever going to be a tranquil reitement community kind of town. This is not what we want or are expecting.

We are just hoping that we will be able to find an area away from the general hubub/commotion and lively and crowded parts of the town, as getting a good & regular level of peace will be important for my OH.

Volt61

I was wondering if Hove is a viable choice?
Does anyone know if there is good bus service to and from there to the University?
And what difference is there (if any) to living in Brighton?

charleygirl

I lived in Hove also, quieter and yes great bus service in to Brighton, i walked it many many times though.. lots of victorian houses converted to rentals, train station too with regular trains to Brighton, there is also or was a commuter station at Falmer, I will ask all this tomorrow when i speak with my sister and email you.

londonescapee

aah ok well in that case I'd go Preston Park, Hanover, Hove, 7 Dials, Marina and the Marina end of Kemptown which is a little bit quieter than the city centre end - in that order (others though may have different suggestions). I've only put Marina at the end because I find it just a bit too far out for my liking but it is a very nice area. If you go back even one or two streets from the main roads in any of these areas will be nice and peaceful.

North Laine is lovely and even being in the centre we found it quiet but it's so compact and you do get people walking home from pubs etc. I'm sure you know this but make sure the house has double glazing!!!! It makes SUCH a difference in cutting the noise down! Our last house had it and I hardly ever heard a peep but this house has windows that must date from the Ark and it is seriously noisy. Thank god Boots does amazing wax earplugs - I sympathise with your OH as I too need total quiet when I'm trying to get to sleep.....

And yes the noise police are non existent here we had an utterly miserable time with both Wandsworth and Lambeth councils when we were in London to the point where we were driven out of two homes (1st was a couple that kept regularly beating each other up and the 2nd was a drug dealer/dog fighter!). They did NOTHING - I had to ring the police at the last one because he was destroying cars with a metal pipe - they cautioned him and drove off again!!!! After that we moved the next week and rented our flat out (still do cannot sell it ) Hopeless. I haven't tested Brighton's noise service but the police are as lackadaisical as any (someone drove into our car and wrote it off whilst it was parked outside our house the police couldn't care less!).

Anyway, moan over!

Volt61

Great info , while also being eyebrow-raising and incredulously OMG!!

Jay Bird

My daughter lives in "Hoveactually" which is the way Hove people often refer to Hove, but it's easier just to say Brighton.....the bus service is excellent (but pricey); frequent buses to just about anywhere and many of the bus stops have illuminated information about the particular route. Regular train service between Hove and Brighton also. When we visit my daughter we always walk from her flat into the centre.....roughly 20 minutes, simply because many of the buildings and small shops are so interesting. I think it really has to be one of the best cities for transport and activities. If I didn't have my current job (which I love) and wanted to move to a place where I didn't need a car, Brighton/Hove would be The Place.

londonescapee

Yep spot on we actually haven't missed the car at all apart from to do long distances (trying to do train was a nightmare) - we just hired from Gatwick which was really cheap. If we need to go to the rubbish dump a mate drives us

Sorry also just saw your earlier post - Hove is very walkable as others have said and you can have such a nice mooch around on your way into town as one poster on the NZ forum asked me, 'why are you leaving lovely Brighton, the architecture is second to none!' Thanks to the Prince Regent for making Brighton fashionable hurrah! The buildings here are great, I love my walk to and from the station, never get tired of gawking at the houses!

londonescapee

I'll check the buses but I believe off the top of my head you'd want the no 25 they are every couple of minutes.

koalakim

I would have thought to get to the Uni, Hove would be a bit too far out? As I said I used to live in the Marina and sometimes the bus journey to the station could take as little as 20 mins or upto 40 mins depending on traffic etc.

I guess it depends on whether you want a house or are happy to live in a flat. We ended up going for the Marina when we bought because a we wanted a waterview, a balcony and a parking space. I really wanted one on the seafront but with a balcony that added 200k to the price! We looked at a great top floor apartment in Kemp Town but it was 5 flights of stairs to get to it (imagine that with shopping) and no parking spot. Plus the flat was lovely but the communal areas were awful so that is something else to watch out for.

Preston Park area as others have said might be good for you as then you'd have some open space near you.

The great thing about Brighton is there is always lots going on, they have the Comedy Festival, the Brighton Festival, there are sometimes good bands playing at the Dome or the Center.

I have to say I do love going back there and have a list of "must do" things each year and I could quite happily live back there again. I can't say the same of where we grew up in Surrey as having been away quite a few years now it seems quite alien but I always loved Brighton since I was a kid and don't know why we didn't do it sooner!

We used to do a 3 hour a day round trip, up and down the A23/M23 (could do that road with my eyes shut) but it was always worth the aggro to come over the top of the Downs and see the sea when I got home.....ah happy days.

Good luck!

LisaP

I own a flat in Hove and am returning to live in Uk later this year. In the end, I decided not to go to Hove but to go to Essex instead. I love Brighton, it's a fab place, but now I have a child I'm looking for something a little more... sedate. I believe that they operate some sort of weird lottery system for schools. All in all, I count myself as a very lucky person to have the choice.

But I'm so glad that when I was young and single I lived in Brighton, it's unforgettable.

charleygirl

Hmmmmm, why did I leave Brighton Hoveactually Oh yes I was stupid.......
Hope all this info helps you, I lived walking distance to Hove station, so used the train to Gatwick where I worked. Do they do weekely rail passes or bus tickets these days, that might be a good way to get around, I know in my home town in the Midlands they do a great deal on bus passes.

londonescapee

Just been to watch the Pride Parade, it was excellent as usual, although a bit more, well, um, less revealing/more sedate than in previous years (is the only way I can describe it!)

Was looking out for Caroline Lucas but coudn't spot her on the Green float....

Anyway back to the OP - comment on Hove possibly being a bit too far away is what would hesitate me putting it further up my living list. It is the 25 by the way, but you do have to factor traffic in (although there are bus lanes but it gets terribly congested along London Road). Preston Park would probably still be the safest bet

Pollyana

God what a thread for homesickness

A few thoughts - access to the universities (assuming we are talking Falmer/Moulsecoomb) is pretty easy from Hove, especially if you're near the station - very easy connections. Buses do get stuck a bit in the traffic but its still an excellent service right across Brighton and Hove. I lived in the Lewes Road/Fiveways area for 20 years and never needed to drive, nor did many of my friends. I really miss the public transport there cos Brisbane is nowhere near as good.
Its a very transient place - always has been with such a large population of students - and so there is always plenty going on whatever you are interested in. Very very obvious and large gay population but after a while you just don't notice things like public displays of affection between gay people because they are just part of life there. Fabulous atmosphere whenever there is something going on there, and there are plenty of festivals, car club meets, concerts, football, whatever takes your fancy.

Good areas (in my view) - some of Kemptown, Seven Dials, the North Laines, Fiveways, Hollingbury, Varndean, the lower areas of Hollingdean. most of Hove, some nice estates in Portslade though its a little further out, as are Woodingdean and Rottingdean.

Slightly less good (no offence to anyone there) high parts of Hollingdean, Carden Hill/Carden Avenue, most of Coldean, and avoid at all costs Moulsecoomb and Whitehawk

If I was to go home I would definitely go back to Brighton (or Hoveactually) and I'm convinced I left part of my soul there when I left.

Pollyana

Been watching updates on Pride on the Sussex Police feed on twitter today - really brings back so many memories - always an amazing weekend

charleygirl

Oh god forgot about whitehawk .....Oh thats why my sister was not answering the phone she'll be watching the parade...........